The Freedom Rangers are coming!!

        Yes, they are. They shipped out yesterday and will be here  tomorrow. What is a Freedom Ranger, you ask? You can go to their webite here, http://www.freedomrangerhatchery.com/ In our ongoing search to be more self sustainable, I found these chickens through a fellow blogger. They are a meat bird, bred to be raised in a free range environment. This is perfect for us. An added bonus, is that you can butcher as they get big enough. A few here and there. We usually raise the Cornish Rock X, which is a great meat bird but grows so fast and they all seem to be ready at the same time. It is a daunting task when you have to butcher 25 birds in one day. This is my first time with these kind of birds, so I will keep you posted on how things go. 
        My new chicks have outgrown the brooder, with the exception of the bantys, and are in a pen in the milk room. So they keep me company while I milk. The Black Giants are already getting so big. I left the bantys in another pen on the other side of the barn. Some of them are so tiny yet, although they are all feathered out. I have three Mille Fleur banty chicks. The name means in French "Thousand Flowers" due to their beautiful plumage. They are known to be the friendliest of the bantys. They are already so funny to watch. This morning while I was milking, I heard this strange sound coming from the other sound of the barn. I stopped my milking and listened.....nothing. So I continued on, then I heard it again. It sounded like someone was stepping on one of the barn cats. Then it dawned on me that I was hearing right after Chantecler crowed. It was one of the banty roosters crowing for the first time. Boy, does he need some work!
         The new sheep have fit in perfectly. I would like to get some more. They are so nice and quiet compared to the very vocal Nubian. I am still missing Tulip so much and I guess I always will. All our baby goats are growing nicely and are starting to eat grain now. I am bottle feeding seven, which takes three gallons of milk a day to do. I will be glad to get them weaned so we can get some pigs. The greenhouse is full to the brim with all our vegetables and flowers. The garden is plowed and tilled and ready to plant. We need to get the potatoes in.
       I have cottage cheese on the stove and it is time to add the rennant, so I better go. I have to get the brooder ready for 25 baby chicks too. Busy day planned....talk to you later.